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jrspitler1112's review
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Child death, and Murder
albedinous's review
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Includes "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde", three short stories which together make up "The Suicide Club", "Thrawn Janet", "The Body-Snatcher", "Markheim".
Not bad, a lot of rumination on morality and the nature of evil within a Calvinist cultural context, and in the face of creeping modernity and urbanization. How do ethics hold up when the social ties and culture which created them erodes?
"Dr. Jekyll" is unsurprisingly the stand-out for me - there's some compelling pathos in the fact that by middle age, Jekyll has already alienated his scientific compatriots because his research is so self-involved and unreproducible, and in harboring Hyde he basically makes his whole life's work amount to nothing. Also interesting to see that Hyde's original appearance is not a hulking brute as I've seen in most adaptations - he's an almost pitiful, stunted little man, only threatening because he chooses the most vulnerable of targets.
"The Suicide Club" has a first entry which I enjoyed, involving the many reasons a wealthy young man might seek dissipation and freedom from worldly cares, and the ethics of one who chooses to profit by it. The second two stories make the first antagonist into a greater overarching threat, which I think is much weaker and more of a penny dreadful detective arc.
"Thrawn Janet" is written entirely in untranslated Scots, which is both interesting and a little frustrating; I had to look up a translation to get more than the gist. Basically a morality tale with Gothic elements - is evil simply archaic superstition and prejudice, or does true evil walk the earth?
"The Body-Snatcher" involves resurrection men, and the manner in which ever-greater crimes can be justified by the sunk cost fallacy. A Gothic twist at the ending, which didn't work for me as well as a character-based conclusion would have, but furthers the theme of atheistic modernity crossing paths with the supernatural while temporarily transplanted to a rural setting in which old mores hold on.
"Markheim" continues the theme - a longtime thief murders a shopkeeper, and while processing his crime, meets the devil, who makes a compelling case that despite Markheim's good intentions and self-delusion, he is doomed to ever-greater dissipation and sin due to his own character flaws. Markheim takes a third option and, realizing that both his good and bad actions ultimately lead to harm and sin, chooses not to act as the authorities catch up to him.
Basically, it's all about sin and what sin means in a modern society.
Interesting introduction and conclusion which give some further insight into Stevenson's life and the context of his works. Worth a read, but the short stories (barring "Jekyll") were more compelling as part of a whole ethical discussion than as individual works.
Keeping, but putting in storage.
Not bad, a lot of rumination on morality and the nature of evil within a Calvinist cultural context, and in the face of creeping modernity and urbanization. How do ethics hold up when the social ties and culture which created them erodes?
"Dr. Jekyll" is unsurprisingly the stand-out for me - there's some compelling pathos in the fact that by middle age, Jekyll has already alienated his scientific compatriots because his research is so self-involved and unreproducible, and in harboring Hyde he basically makes his whole life's work amount to nothing. Also interesting to see that Hyde's original appearance is not a hulking brute as I've seen in most adaptations - he's an almost pitiful, stunted little man, only threatening because he chooses the most vulnerable of targets.
"The Suicide Club" has a first entry which I enjoyed, involving the many reasons a wealthy young man might seek dissipation and freedom from worldly cares, and the ethics of one who chooses to profit by it. The second two stories make the first antagonist into a greater overarching threat, which I think is much weaker and more of a penny dreadful detective arc.
"Thrawn Janet" is written entirely in untranslated Scots, which is both interesting and a little frustrating; I had to look up a translation to get more than the gist. Basically a morality tale with Gothic elements - is evil simply archaic superstition and prejudice, or does true evil walk the earth?
"The Body-Snatcher" involves resurrection men, and the manner in which ever-greater crimes can be justified by the sunk cost fallacy. A Gothic twist at the ending, which didn't work for me as well as a character-based conclusion would have, but furthers the theme of atheistic modernity crossing paths with the supernatural while temporarily transplanted to a rural setting in which old mores hold on.
"Markheim" continues the theme - a longtime thief murders a shopkeeper, and while processing his crime, meets the devil, who makes a compelling case that despite Markheim's good intentions and self-delusion, he is doomed to ever-greater dissipation and sin due to his own character flaws. Markheim takes a third option and, realizing that both his good and bad actions ultimately lead to harm and sin, chooses not to act as the authorities catch up to him.
Basically, it's all about sin and what sin means in a modern society.
Interesting introduction and conclusion which give some further insight into Stevenson's life and the context of his works. Worth a read, but the short stories (barring "Jekyll") were more compelling as part of a whole ethical discussion than as individual works.
Keeping, but putting in storage.
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